Archive for September, 2013

Has Iran’s nuclear stance changed? Does it only have peaceful nuclear plans? Some doubt that:

Don’t Be Fooled by Iran’s Charming New Leader

30 September 2013

There are two main reasons to doubt the possibility of an Iran-U.S. rapprochement, an idea that gained new life after Iran’s charm offensive at the United Nations last week and a phone call between the presidents of the two countries on Sept. 27. The first is general to the Middle East, the second is specific to Iran.

The general reason is easy to understand, and all-encompassing: Nothing at all works in the Middle East, so why should the U.S. find success convincing Iran to give up its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions?…

The second reason is specific to Iran’s actions last week. Many people are forgetting that Hassan Rouhani, the president of Iran and the commander of Operation Offensive Charm, is a moderate only in comparison to his predecessor, the unhinged Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rouhani has been a superior soldier for Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a defender of the regime, and an anti-American propagandist for much of his professional life. (Not often mentioned during last week’s love-in was Rouhani’s post-Sept. 11 commentary, in which he blamed the attacks on the “wrongs and mistakes of American policies,” and argued that the U.S. Air Force shot down Flight 93, which crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside.)

There’s no proof yet that Rouhani’s ultimate goals for Iran are different than those of the hardliners. Let’s look at what he didn’t do at the UN last week: He not only refused to comply with the many Security Council resolutions demanding that Iran cease all uranium-enrichment activities, he also refused to endorse the idea that Iran is obligated to pay any attention to the Security Council’s wishes. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-30/dont-be-fooled-by-irans-charming-new-leader

Notice also the following:

President Obama could be hanging his hopes for productive nuclear negotiations with Iran on a hoax, according to one Middle East-focused think tank.

“I do believe that there is a basis for a resolution [because] Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons,” Obama told reporters.

But although talk of such a fatwa has been around for at least eight years, there’s no evidence it was ever issued, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, which flatly called the fatwa a hoax. MEMRI claims the phony fatwa is promoted by Iranian diplomats and Turkey’s Islamist prime minister, Recep Erdogan.

“There is no such fatwa. It is a lie from the Iranians, a deception, and it is tragic that President Obama has endorsed it,” MEMRI Founder and President Yigal Carmon told FoxNews.com…

The fatwa’s existence appears to date back to 2005, when it was cited by an Iranian diplomat. In a 2012 Washington Post op-ed by Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, it was cited again, without a link or other documentation.

What Ayatollah Khamenei’s personal view of nuclear weapons truly is can be debated, but few in Israel and elsewhere have a lot of trust in his words that suggest Iran only is pursuing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Though a more significant Islamic power will rise up for a short while in the 21st century, this power will not not be Iranian and will not last (Daniel 11:40-43). Ayatollah Khamenei should consider more of what the Bible says as Iran is not the going to be the primary instrument to truly make that happen.

Yet, also ignoring certain portions of scripture, Iran’s last president publicly stated that the purpose of the Iranian revolution was to prepare the way for an Islamic leader, the Imam Mahdi, also called the the 12th Imam, to rise up (this was several years ago, but he still seems to believe it). This Imam Mahdi sounds a lot like the final King of the South that the Bible warns against (though the actual one that many Shi’ites expect from “suspended animation” is not likely to be that King, but a Mahdi belief will likely be a factor in getting the final King of the South). A while back, Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that it was the Imam Mahdi who was behind the revolutions in the various Arab lands as well as other events in the world (see Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: World Order About to Collapse, Mahdi Behind it).

Until the King of the South rises finally up, I would not be surprised if Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria get together to cause additional trouble (including possible war) with Israel as a means of hoping to provoke the rise of the Imam Mahdi, as well as to hope to get the Arab states to support the Iranian version of Shi’ite Islam (most of the Arab nations are mainly Sunni Islam). And while that latter item won’t happen as Iran seems to envision, it certainly may get the Arab states in more of a mood to cooperate closer. A nuclear-armed Iran, or an Iran that Israel suspects is about to be nuclear-armed could trigger a regional conflict that could have major ramifications.

A budget for the USA government is supposed to be in place by midnight tonight or an alleged shutdown of the government is supposed to occur:

September 30, 2013

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon, allowing itself just hours to reach a compromise with the House of Representatives on a spending bill before a midnight deadline for a partial shutdown of the U.S. government.

Republican lawmakers are insisting that any measure either delays or defunds President Barack Obama’s signature health care law intended to provide coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised that a spending bill passed by the House in the early hours of Saturday morning, which would delay key parts of the Affordable Healthcare Act, known as Obamacare, for one year, will not be approved.

The measure has highlighted the deep divisions between Republican and Democratic politicians.

Democrats say Obamacare has been duly passed and is now the law of the land. It gives low income individuals and people without health insurance the chance to buy a low-cost, federally subsidized policy so that families will not face financial ruin in the event of a serious illness.

Republicans say the program is confusing and not ready. They also say that the law hurts the economy by imposing more taxes and by forcing small businesses to provide coverage for their employees.

Obama has said he will not let the law be gutted.

If nothing is passed by both houses of Congress by midnight Monday, all but the most essential government services will start closing down. Tourists will find national parks and museums off limits while anyone needing a passport or help with taxes would have to wait. More than 1 million civil servants may not get paid during the shutdown. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-government-on-verge-of-shutdown/1759628.html

September 30, 2013

Unless Congress can reach a resolution, the government’s spending authority will expire at midnight. National parks are expected to close, homebuyers will probably face delays on government-backed mortgages, and an estimated 800,000 federal workers will face furlough.

That being said, the reality is that even with some deal that could possibly happen soon, the total debt of the USA will rise. The federal government has no intention of truly being shutdown. Most employees will still be working for it even if the so-called shutdown occurs.

Biblically, these debt increases are more dangerous than most in the USA realize. Notice what the Bible warns about those who increase debt in the end times:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you. Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

The USA is in more debt than any country in the history of humanity. Despite biblical warnings, the USA continues to increase its debt and engage in political posturing. At some point in time, the USA will likely start to experience massive inflation and currency devaluation. And afterwards, its creditors will rise up (Habakkuk 2:7). The realities of USA debt as well as policies of the Federal Reserve like “quantitative easing” are setting the stage for the absolute end of economic dominance by the U.S.A.–have no doubt about it (although there could be some major positive economic events before that happens).

It seems like every several months that there is another ‘budget crisis’ that the USA federal government is facing (there have been several ‘crises’ this year and the number depends upon how you count them). While the Republicans and Democrats have often used this as a major partisan fight and sometimes treat this like a political game, the reality is that the rest of the world is also watching and has been very disturbed by all of this (see IMF: Suspending debt ceiling hurts United States tremendously). The Europeans and others are realizing that the USA is losing its position of world leadership–and when it does, this will be the final “time of the Gentiles” that the Bible warns of (Ezekiel 30:2-3; Luke 21:23-24; Revelation 11:2). The leaders in the USA are causing the nation to err (cf. Isaiah 3:12; 9:16).

The policies and decisions in Washington, D.C. are helping to create the conditions for the upcoming European Beast power to fill the void in economic (and even military) leadership that the USA is in the process of making. The Europeans, and others, will watch what the politicians in the USA do in the next week and realize that the USA simply does not have a political system that will allow it to lead the world economically for too much longer.

Change is coming, and in several years, those in the USA (as well as their Anglo-allies) will not like the change that is coming.

Are there disadvantages to being overweight? Is junk food really bad for you? Does the Bible discuss overeating and/or obesity? Is overeating having an effect on the US military? What are the ramifications of personal and national health for overeating? What should you eat?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Obesity, processed foods, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? Is gluttony condemned?Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy This is a video. Are there disadvantages to being overweight? Is junk food really bad for you? Does the Bible discuss overeating and/or obesity? Is overeating having an effect on the US military? What are the ramifications of personal and national health for overeating? What should you eat?GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.Does God Heal Today? What does the Bible teach? Herbert Armstrong tries to explain this.UK Study Supports Daniel Diet Daniel and his companions looked better eating more vegetables and avoiding strange meats. Has modern science confirmed this?Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?

As I reported before, the fact that there is a Super-PAC called “Ready for Hillary,”combined with her public speaking, and her new book, etc. suggests that the foundational steps for a presidential run again are being laid.

US President Barack Obama put out a book or two before he ran for the US presidency. Hillary Clinton may not run again, but she certainly has taken steps that seem consistent with the possibility that she will.

Ever since Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of the United Kingdom, I have felt that it is likely that the USA would end up with a female president or at least a highly influential woman in a top level federal government job. And Hillary Clinton has been fulfilling the latter for many years herself as a US senator then Secretary of State (and have various female Supreme Court justices, senators, etc.).

A female presidency can partially fulfill a prophecy in Isaiah 3:12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths…

Of course, women are influential in the English-speaking nations and it is not absolutely required that the USA itself have a woman president (the USA may end up with a woman as chairman of the Federal Reserve, and there already have been women on the US Supreme Court), but I do feel that if we do get one, that this would be a partial, but significant, fulfillment of that prophecy. And whether she runs or not, she is causing people to err by her position on homosexual marriage and abortion.

When Barack Obama was re-elected I posted that I did not believe that the Great Tribulation would begin until after his second term ended (see Obama Re-Elected, So What is Ahead?). However, presuming she actually gets elected to become US President, the Great Tribulation could be during a Hillary Clinton term.

We will see first if she if fact does decide to run. But if she does, no one should expect her to reverse herself and take a lot of biblically-supportable moral positions that disagree with the politics of the day.

On other matters, the following was in the news today:

September 29, 2013

WASHINGTON – House Republican leaders said on Sunday that they still believed a government shutdown beginning on Tuesday could be averted if Democrats would accept at least some of their demands to scale back President Obama’s health care law. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/us/politics/time-short-but-gop-leaders-say-shutdown-can-be-avoided.html

Without getting in the politics of that battle, let me simply state that it appears that both parties care more about WHO WILL BE BLAMED for any government shut down (which is not truly a shut down as the vast bulk of the US federal government would still be expected to operate) than the possible shut down itself.

On Monday, 81 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a Protestant church in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan.

A splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the attack was in response to U.S. drone strikes in tribal areas.

And on Friday, at least 17 people were killed and more than 30 others wounded in an explosion that ripped through a bus carrying government employees…

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack at the bazaar. The Pakistani Taliban decried the loss of innocent life but at the same time struck a defiant note. “We are targeting the government machinery and the law enforcement agencies but not general public,” said spokesman Shaidullah Shaid.

The bloodshed took place not far from the All Saints Church, where last Sunday a pair of suicide bombers struck in a crowd of worshipers. The carnage left at least 85 members of the country’s minority Christian community dead, nearly half of them women and children.

The church was repaired and reopened under extremely tight security on Sunday, offering special services and prayers for victims of the blast. A local journalist, Sabookh Syed, says he was witnessing the rituals when the market blast took place nearby.

He tells VOA that “the powerful blast also shook the church building, causing a scramble among Christian worshipers while terrified women and children began crying and raised their hands towards the sky”.

On Friday, a bomb exploded in a crowded bus while it was travelling through the outskirts of Peshawar, carrying government employees to their homes. That attack killed 19 people and wounded dozens more.
Authorities blame Taliban extremists, who are waging a bloody insurgency in Pakistan, for Sunday’s bombing and previous “acts of terrorism”.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has promised to engage the Islamist militants in peace talks to try to end the bloodshed, but many believe the latest violence has apparently left little room for his government to pursue a negotiated settlement.

We in the Continuing Church of God are opposed to violence and terrorism. It is wrong for anyone in this age to bomb churches, marketplaces, etc.

While because of recent changes in Egypt (the removal of its Muslim Brotherhood leadership), Tunisia (losing much of its Muslim Brotherhood leadership), Syria (the USA decided against bombing) and Iran (a new president that has toned down some of Iran’s rhetoric) it appears that Islamist groups are losing ground, the reality is that a confederation of nations that are currently predominantly Islamic will still one day form per Daniel 11:40-43 and Ezekiel 30:1-9. And presuming that this confederation has Islamist leadership, neither it nor the confederation will end up faring well per those same scriptures.

What the Islamists seem to want will end in disaster. And causing disasters to try to make this happen is wrong.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness?The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage. This article quotes the Bible and also discusses some of the witness to India throughout history and what is happening in the 21st century (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.The Future King of the South is Rising Does the Bible teach that there will be a future King of the South in Daniel 11? Is this kingdom rising up now? Did the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) teach that there would be another one? And who is the King of the South? How will this involve Egypt? Is the final King of the South some type of Arab-Muslim confederation? Can Iran be involved? Is there a group that seems to be supporting the goals of the King of the South? Has the Obama Administration supported the rise of this power? This sermon video answers those questions.The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?

Posted in Religious News | Comments Off on Another bombing in Pakistan!

Several weeks ago, Pope Francis called for a fast on the vigil of Mary’s “birthday” to try to ask her to intervene in Syria. He also read some passages by the Catholic saint Thérèse of Lisieux. VReportedly, he considers that this dead ‘saint’ responded the next day:

On Sunday 8 September, the day after the long prayer vigil for peace in Syria – when some passages from texts written by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux were read out – Pope Francis received a white rose as a surprise. Francis considers the flower to be a “sign” linked to the devotion of the saint. The Archbishop of Ancona and Osimo, Edoardo Menichelli broke the news, with Francis authorisation…

“The Pope told me he received the freshly-picked white rose out of the blue from a gardener as he was taking a stroll in the Vatican Gardens on Sunday 8 September,” Mgr. Menichelli said. “The Pope sees this flower as a “sign”, a “message” from Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, whom he had turned to in a moment of worry the day before.”…

Bergoglio mentions it in “El Jesuita” (“The Jesuit”), a book interview written by Sergio Rubin and Francesca Ambrogetti when he was still a cardinal. In a description the two journalists give of Bergoglio’s library in Buenos Aires, they write: “We pause before a vase full of white roses standing on a shelf in the library. In front of it is a photograph of Saint Thérèse. “Whenever I have a problem,” Bergoglio explained to the journalists, “I ask the saint not to solve it, but to take it into her hands and to help me accept it and I almost always receive a white rose as a sign.” Pope Francis’ devotion for the Carmelite mystic who died at the young age of 24 in 1897, was canonized by Pius XI and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by John Paul II in 1997, is common knowledge. http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/28151/

We are increasingly learning about supposedly ‘signs’ associated with Pope Francis. This should give pause to those those in the real Church of God:

24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. (Matthew 24:24-25; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

Thérèse of Lisieux is popularly known as “The Little Flower of Jesus” or “The Little Flower.” She was declared a Catholic saint in 1925 and ‘doctor of the church’ in 1997. She claimed to be healed of an illness after gazing a statute that was supposed to be ‘Mary.’ She reported on 13 May 1883 that she had seen the Virgin smile at her (Wikipedia). I have reported about her in the past (see The Catholic Therese of Lisieux) and her remains have been viewed by millions.

The ‘Marian’ connection between Thérèse of Lisieux and Pope Francis is of interest. Pope Francis remains a ‘person of interest’ as far as either being the final Antichrist who will end up betraying the Church of Rome or at least setting the stage for the one who will be.

China is moving forwards at an astonishing rate, but it lacks one vital commodity – young women. Men of marriageable age are confronted by a shrinking pool of potential female partners – and the competition to find a bride is fierce…

While China’s wealthiest men contract out the search for a spouse and have plenty of choice, at the opposite end of the scale some have no choice at all.

The country’s inexorable economic rise has put marriage out of reach for many men.

These days grooms are expected to provide a car, a good salary and real estate.

One young engineer I met in a Beijing park, Zhang Junfrei, told me that he would have to save up for 200 years to afford a one-bedroom apartment – and that is without eating or drinking…

The situation with native females in China will tend to worsen over the next decade or so. Some males there are looking at Vietnamese, North Korean, or other Asian women as there simply are not enough women in China for its number of men. Female babies have often been aborted or otherwise killed in China, and that combined with its “one-child” policy has put the country in a difficult place.

Because of this more males than normal will be more willing to fight in the military. The imbalanced sex-ratio appears to be setting the stage for a potential large army in the 21st century.

Now, while the Chinese flag itself is basically red and yellow, it perhaps should be mentioned that the colors of the Chinese flag for its navy and air force is military is red, blue, and yellow. Also, notice the colors of the insignia that many of its troops wear:

Why is that potentially important?

Because these are colors seem to be mentioned in the Bible. Notice some of what the Bible states about a 200 million man army: from the east:

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed–by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths (Revelation 9:13-18).

Hence, presuming that China is a major provider of military men in this 200 million man army, it would make sense that it, and perhaps others, might march under colors like some of its military does currently. I have long been warning readers of this page that although the Chinese will temporarily fall for the religion of the Beast and the final Antichrist, that they are a discerning people who will be among the first to realize that the religion of the Beast and the final Antichrist is NOT of God. That, though, will be part of why they are apparently going to support the prophesied army.

The current reality is that only China, and possibly India and others in Asia (which may align themselves Russia), are capable of fielding a two hundred million man army.

Additionally, notice that the sequence involving the 200 million many army has to do with something related to the river Euphrates, which the Bible indicates will be people who represent the “Kings of the East”:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16).

While there are many peoples who live east of the river Euphrates, the Greek expression translated as “kings of the east,” literally means “kings of the sunrise.” This indicates that these are people in the far east, or at least relatively far east from the river Euphrates. China, India, and other lands are far east of that river. Thus, Revelation appears to be discussing an Asian role in the end-time prophecies. When the Book of Revelation was written there were not even 200 million men on the earth, hence the prophecy was intended for a later time (like the 21st century) when there would be enough willing males to support such an army.

Studies have suggested that decreased female availability tends to increase societal and other violence. Thus, the fulfillment of end-time biblical prophecies related to a 200 million man army seems to be in the developing stages.

I would also add that partially because the USA ended up not bombing Syria, some of the USA’s so-called allies in the Syrian opposition have decided to support Al-Qaeda (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57604557/syria-rebel-factions-including-al-qaeda-linked-nusra-front-reject-authority-of-u.s.-backed-opposition-snc/). The situation in Syria still is unstable and will change.

Since the Bible tells of a time when a confederation of territory, currently dominated by Islamic nations, will get together, there will be changes in Syria. Because the Bible predicts this type of confederation in the end times (see Ezekiel 30:1-8; Daniel 11:40-43), it will come to pass. The Assad regime will change and/or be eliminated.

Since Syria is one of the countries that will support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40), and its President Assad is basically on the outs with other Arabic nations, something (like him and his government) will have to change there.

Items of possibly related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2013, 2014, or 2015? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? See also the video Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013? Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.

The Chinese keep taking steps to eliminate the US dollar as the primary reserve currency in the world and to get others to accept more of its currency:

China Steps Up Pace To Convertibility

Daily Pfennig® | Economic happenings around the world | SEPTEMBER 27, 2013…

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Why am I telling you this? Because two things happened in China yesterday, that make me believe they are stepping toward that replace of the dollar standard, with a quicker pace. First, yesterday we had China announcing that they will launch Certificates of Deposit (CDs) which can be traded in the interbank market in the near-term. This is HUGE folks. I know, I know, it looks to be a really dumb thing to hang one’s hat on. But think about this from a bank’s point of view. having CD’s that are traded, and can be traded before maturity date in the international market, provides a ton of liquidity. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said that they are also going to push for forward rate liberalization. (remember I’ve explained the forward rates in China before, but for those of you who missed class the 100 times I’ve explained this before. forward rates in freely traded/ convertible currencies is usually equal to the interest rate differential and the number of days between the two currencies being traded. But with China, India, Brazil and others, they are non-deliverable forwards, of which traders also speculate where they think the currency will be at the forward date in the future. China would have to get more trading desks around the world to take positions and deal in the renminbi/ yuan before this could be achieved, but it’s nice to think they are thinking of this).

After the USA dollar, it should be noted that the Euro is the second most traded currency in the world–China’s currency currently amounts is not that important (http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/09/24/225443718/currency-the-u-s-is-dominant-europe-is-fading-and-china-is-irrelevant-for-now), but it now seems to have made the top ten (http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/23/chinas-big-currency-strategy/).

It is the biblically-based view of the Continuing Church of God that Europe, and not China, will dominate the world’s financial scene in the end time. The time of Jacob’s (which includes the USA’s) trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) is coming, which will be a time dominated by the Gentile powers (Luke 21:24). And while China will have its own issues, it will help make certain steps happen.

A few years ago former President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, went to China to work to replace the USA dollar with something that included the Chinese yuan and the EU’s euro (see France and China Working Hard to Replace Dollar). The fact that China has been actively working on something to cause this should show every one that they are serious, and that at some point in time, Europe will take further steps to eliminate the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

And, let us not forget that the USA keeps increasing its debt and inflating its currency through programs like ‘quantitative easing’ that financial experts should realize is diminishing its value–biblically it is adding ‘dross’ to its currency, which is not good (Isaiah 1:22,25; Proverbs 25:4a). At some point in time in the future, this will result in disaster for the USA according to biblical prophecy.

Now the point of this post is what is happening to the US dollar. What is happening in Asia, and elsewhere, shows that the world is moving away from the US dollar. All the arrangements that the Chinese, Russians, and others are doing are making it easier for the ultimate break from the dollar.

I would also add that WHEN the USA has to increase interest rates to keep foreigners (and others) lending to it, this will lead to a downward spiral, that while it likely will have some “ups,” while result in the USA being taken over and destroyed. The Bible warns about the indebted one getting taken over by its creditors at the appointed time of the end (cf. Habakkuk 2), and the USA is currently the greatest debtor nation in the history of the world. And after interest rates rise for the USA dollar, it will be worse in the USA than almost any economist will publicly admit.

The USA dollar will be replaced. And while the Chinese currency will not of itself be that replacement, nations around the world are taking steps to replace it, and the USA itself continues to increase debt, which will help make the replacement of the US dollar biblically required.